Chapter 161

“That was fun!” Norri said as they walked along the road. Norri swung her arms back and forth in an exaggerated manner as she skipped next to her two friends. “Do you think they'll fire that lady?”

Jay stepped around a dog that had claimed part of the road for itself and was spread out on the ground as it watched the traffic pass by. It made no effort to move out of Jay's way. “Maybe? Penn didn't look too happy with her.”

M'redith smiled and shook her head, “Don't worry, I'm sure Imelda will be fine. She didn't cost the house any money and everything worked out in the end. She'll probably get yelled at, maybe fined, but they won't take her job from her. This time that is. Next time would be an entirely different affair, should there be a next time.”

“So what is next?” Norri asked as she stopped swinging her arms and hunched over. “I'm tired. Do we have to walk?”

M'redith laughed, “We can get a cart,” she said as she stepped in to traffic and waved down a cart. It passed by her without stopping but she wasn't bothered by that. She just waved down the next one that went by and that one did stop. M'redith spoke with the driver and handed him some coin before she motioned everyone in to the cart. She hopped up in to the cart last and Jay ended up squeezed in the middle.

The three were quiet as the cart rolled towards the Guild's main entrance. It was past midnight and they all had to be up early in the morning. They were all looking forward to a night's rest.

Even though it was quite late Jay was surprised to see that most of the businesses they passed were still open. Jay wondered if they had employees that worked in shifts or if they just really overworked the few employees they had.

Traffic was briefly held up when the cart in front of them struck another cart and threw a wheel. All forward progress was halted and everyone in traffic waited for the two carts involved to be repaired or pushed out of the way, or even a mixture of both.

Jay went to say something to M'redith but she quickly shushed him with a finger over her mouth and Jay realized that Norri's head had come to rest against M'redith's shoulder and Norri was snoring quietly.

M'redith gave Jay a grin and motioned with her eyes towards the snoring Norri. Jay nodded and went quiet.

It took a few minutes but eventually a rescue team showed up and helped reseat the cart's wheel and get it moving again.

As the cart the three friends were in jolted in to motion once again Norri's head popped up and she let out a light grunt as she wiped at her eyes. “Are we there yet?”

Jay laughed, “Not yet. Go back to resting. We'll wake you up when we get there.”

Norri nodded, yawned, and leaned back on M'redith's shoulder.

When they finally approached the Guild's main entrance they found the area transformed. What had before been a snarl of traffic and people all milling about had been replaced by a neat and orderly system whereby carts and carriages arrived in the courtyard and stopped only for a minute to disgorge passengers before exiting the courtyard. There was no milling about in the courtyard.

Traffic moved at a swift pace and it was obvious that someone had instituted a new set of rules to ensure that things were kept running smoothly.

Their cart entered and turned to face the exit before coming to a stop.

M'redith shrugged her shoulder a few times and said, “Norri, time to wake up,” in a sing song voice. Norri finally stirred and groggily left the cart. She almost fell getting out as she wasn't paying enough attention to what she was doing but that woke her right up and fixed the problem.

Finally all three had exited the cart and the cart smoothly pulled away and left the courtyard. It had barely taken a minute to unload.

Jay and his friends were quickly encouraged to get the hell out of the courtyard to make way for carts and carriages as a number of guards patrolled the area and moved along anyone who tried to hang about.

They needed little encouragement and left the courtyard and walked to the women's housing area.

M'redith led them to Norri's room first and she got a hug from Norri before Norri said good night to them and quietly shut the door behind her.

M'redith and Jay slowly walked to her rooms without saying much of anything. They were both tired and just wanted to sleep but were enjoying their brief moment alone.

As they reached her room she turned and wrapped Jay up in a hug before giving him a quick kiss on the lips. “See you tomorrow Jay,” she said and before he could reply the door shut behind her.

Jay stood there for a moment before he turned and walked to his rooms. He had half expected Aiden to be at his door when he got there but the area in front of his door was empty when he arrived. Jay smiled. Hopefully Aiden was out having a great time with Aisha.

Jay entered his rooms and closed and locked the door behind him. He got undressed and set his bag and clothing aside before he turned off the lights and crawled in to bed. He was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. His sleep was restless and his dreams were full of gold coins, M'redith, and found treasure.

*****

FM: Constance, Family Head, Stirge Family Auction House

TO: (BCC) H.R.M. Ferrigualt, Duke Clarence, Countess Lautricia, PEERAGE, Mayor Glenn, Mayor Benshaw, Grandmaster Vail,

RE: Upcoming Auction of Interest

It is my great honor to announce the imminent auction of a unique, once in a lifetime item. This item allows the bound user to grant the following magical professions:

Cobbler, Fletcher, Manicurist, Bodger, Saddler, Couturier, Potter, Mason, Higgler, Farrier

The item is guaranteed to bestow the magical version of the profession chosen, even if that profession is known to not have a magical equivalent. If such a profession is chosen then it is quite possible that the person chosen will be the only known magical practitioner of that profession in existence! I need not tell you what an opportunity that would be for any kingdom or territory.

Our appraisers have verified that the item holds not one but at least two charges and is believed to be in complete working order. The item is undamaged and is not cursed.

The auction shall be held this Wednesday evening. In order to ensure the integrity of the bidding process a minimum purse of 20 gold shall be required of all bidders, which will be verified before entry.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

I look forward to seeing you this Wednesday in the auction hall,

-Constance

Day 42, Monday, Eden

Jay had been on Eden for over a month but still hadn't gotten used to waking up there. He opened his eyes and was surprised to find that he was, again, in Eden.

Part of him always wondered when it would go bad, when he would be pulled out and forced to return to Earth, forever trapped in his body and unable to communicate. Eden was just too good to be true, yet here he was, day 42, still in Eden. Maybe he really was in Eden for good, he thought to himself.

His morning musings were interrupted by a tattoo beat against his front door and Jay groggily got out of bed and put on some underwear and cloth pants. The knocking continued as he got dressed and he found himself fumbling to button the pants up as he staggered to the door. “I'm up, I'm up!”

He opened the door, his chest still bare, to find more people waiting outside than he had expected. There was M'redith, standing in the back and shaking her head with a smile. Next to her was Norri who was staring and picking at a leaf she had found on the ground. Aiden was up front and had been the one beating on his door. And next to Aiden was a dapper man in a suit that was looking at Aiden a bit askance.

As Jay opened the door though the man looked a bit relieved, “Jay?” the man asked worriedly.

Jay nodded, “That's me. Hi!”

The man blinked, “Good morning Sir. I do believe you know my employer? Constance?”

Jay nodded a bit unsure of where this was going. Were they in some sort of trouble for the little book they were auctioning off?

The man picked up on Jay's mood and shook his head, “Nothing to worry about Sir, the Lady had merely asked me to inform you that she is quite thankful for the item you brought to us for auction. She sends her warmest regards and would be quite pleased if you would attend this Wednesday evening for the auction itself.”

Jay's eyes immediately glanced towards M'redith and his friends.

The dapper man did not miss that either. “The Lady's invitation extends to the other Glimmerhides as well, should you wish them to accompany you.”

Jay smiled, “We'd love to go, please thank Constance for us and assure her that we'll be there.”

The dapper man smiled and nodded, “Thank you, Sir,” he said but he made no move to leave.

They stood there for a moment before the man spoke again, “Er, as an aside, strictly speaking, might I offer a bit of advice?”

Jay nodded enthusiastically, “Absolutely.”

The man appeared to be searching for the right words, “Those attending will be Kings, their peerage, mayors, craft masters...” his voice trailed off before he continued. “You will be given a private booth but should you choose to interact with them your clothing will be the first thing they judge you on. I would recommend formal dress for the event.”

The man looked relieved to have finally gotten it all out and let a tiny smile slip on to his face before he erased it and put on his business face once again.

Jay laughed. He was shirtless and wearing pants. Barefoot. “I promise I won't show up looking like this.”

The man looked worried as if he had offended Jay somehow but M'redith came to his rescue quickly.

“Thank you, we appreciate your help. We'll be sure to dress appropriately.” she said a bit formally to the man which seemed to mollify him. He gave Jay a bow and then gave M'redith a nod as well before he walked off to whatever was next on his list of things to do that day.

Everyone piled in to Jay's front room before the last one in, M'redith, closed it behind her.

“Just give me a second to get dressed and we can get some breakfast before we head to the Dome.” Jay said as he walked to his bedroom. He caught M'redith staring at his bare chest and wiggled his eyebrows at her. She blushed and looked away and Jay laughed.

Thankfully Aiden and Norri had been arguing over the leaf she had been studying and neither noticed anything.

Jay quickly got dressed and then pulled his armor on over his light underclothing. He pulled his backpack on over one shoulder and laced up his boots. Finally he was done and stepped out in to the front room where he found M'redith, Aiden, and Norri bent over the little leaf that Norri had been studying since her arrival.

Jay leaned over the three thanks to his taller height and saw a leaf with a tiny inch worm that was studiously eating away at the leaf one straight row at a time.

“Whatcha doing?” Jay asked in confusion.

“Aiden bet me that the inchworm wouldn't eat more than three rows. I told him that she was really hungry and would eat at least five rows! He didn't believe me! Me!” Norri said grumpily.

Aiden raised both hands as if to ward Norri off. “Hey now, I just said he didn't look that hungry! It wasn't even a bet!”

“He's a she! And it's a bet now!” Norri said and leaned back over the little inchworm.

M'redith kept quiet but gave Jay a long-suffering look.

“Okaaaay. So listen. We all need to go eat. Like, now, or we won't have any time for it before we need to be at the Dome.” Jay patiently explained to Norri.

The inchworm meanwhile had progressed to its third row of bites as it chomped on the little leaf.

“This is it!” Norri said as the little bug neared the end of the third row.

Everyone watched as the inchworm finished eating and then re-positioned itself. Whereupon it began to eat a fourth row.

“That's the game.” Jay said as he pointed to Aiden. “Pay the lady.”

Aiden laughed, “We never even set a bet!”

“One copper!” Norri demanded with a hand held out in front of her. “For doubting me!”

Aiden groused but finally handed over a copper. He had insisted that Norri was wrong about the bug and she had proven him wrong. Besides, a copper wouldn't bankrupt him. He handed Norri a copper in a sporting manner. “You were right,” he gamely admitted.

Norri grinned and ran out the front door to put the leaf back where she had found it.

“Well that was fun,” Aiden said with a chuckle as the three of them left Jay's rooms. Jay pulled on the door after it had closed just to make sure it was locked.

“Why do you always do that?” M'redith asked. “You were the one that locked it – you don't think the lock will work or something?”

Jay laughed, “No – its because I forget if I locked it so I have to double check to make sure.”

M'redith shook her head at him but didn't comment any further.

Norri ran back up to them only barehanded this time and the four friends left the men's living area and walked in the direction of the dining hall.